Mike Wise admits to Big Ben hoax, offers lame explanation

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on August 30, 2010, 3:03 PM EST

When I used to have a real job, I hated Mondays. Now, I love them. Apart from the surge in traffic we experience (resulting from all the people who have real jobs and who consequently hate Mondays), the first day of the work week often brings all sorts of unpredictable developments.

This Monday was no different.

I was sitting here at the PFT nerve center, the dual-screen computer hookup pumping even more radiation into the various organs residing above my neck. When at the wheel of this online Orca, I usually keep an IM conversation open with Rosenthal and MDS, so that we don’t write the same story twice. (Even then, it’s roughly as effective as the rhythm method.)

At 12:18 p.m. ET, MDS asked via IM, “Did you see Mike of Washington Post says Roethlisberger will get five games?” MDS included the link to a tweet from Wise, a presumably tenured and respected member of the journalism community: “Roethlisberger will get five games, I’m told.”

Currently, Roethlisberger has been suspended for six games. Everyone expects that the penalty will be reduced to four games. There was nothing controversial or outlandish about Wise’s claim; sure, he doesn’t cover the Steelers and he typically confines his reporting and analysis to the teams in D.C. But as we learned eight days ago, even a guy in a one-city niche can try to inject himself into the broader stream, like Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News did when reporting that the Jets and cornerback Darrelle Revis would come to terms on a new deal in a matter of days.

So we went with it, labeling it as a “report” and identifying Mike Wise as the source of it.

After posting the story, we began to hear from readers that Wise was claiming that the whole thing was a hoax. MDS later provided an updated link to Wise’s Twitter page, which had multiple more recent entries after “Roethlisberger will get five games, I’m told.”

So we updated our original story. At the time, it wasn’t clear why Wise chose to intentionally put out false information. I then remembered that he has a radio show, and so I dialed it up in order to listen to what he had to say.

During his show on 106.7 the Fan in D.C., Wise admitted that he fabricated the report in order to prove that “anybody will print anything.”

Think about that for a second. To prove that “anybody will print anything,” a guy who supposedly is a journalist made something up and published it for general consumption.

In this era of aggregation, it’s common for websites and blogs to rely on reports from journalists who are (or, in Wise’s case, were) regarded as reliable. We provide a one-stop shop for NFL news, rumors, and information; if Adam Schefter reports something interesting, we post a blurb and give him credit. Ditto for Jay Glazer, Peter King, and any other national or local reporter. It’s one of the main reasons why we’ll have nearly 40 million page views this month, and perhaps 50 million or more in September.

Our decision to post Wise’s odd but nevertheless interesting report on Roethlisberger was no different than our decision to post Cowlishaw’s odd but nevertheless interesting (and, ultimately, inaccurate) report regarding Revis. How is it, then, that we were wrong for passing along a report from a guy whom we reasonably assumed to at least be trying to get it right?

And that’s the fundamental difference here. Everyone in this business is wrong at some point. The greater the volume of content (and we have 50 or more posts per day), the greater the chance for errors. Still, everyone in this business aspires in every instance to be right.

Or so we thought.

On Monday, Wise turned that concept on its head, deliberate lying about a superficially plausible report and then wagging a finger at those who were stupid enough to believe that he wasn’t committing the kind of infraction for which many journalists have lost their jobs.

When confronted with the fact that his experiment with a magnifying glass, a pile of dry grass, and sunlight had started a forest fire, Wise fudged the facts to fit his claim that he quickly revealed that he was just trying to punk guys like Schefter and me. But Wise’s on-air explanation of his tweets doesn’t mesh with his timeline.

He first claimed that he instantly posted another message making it clear that the Roethlisberger report was phony. Then, he tried to explain that there was a delay in the Twitter site, and that the tweet that should have put us all on notice that Wise was full of crap came roughly 15 minutes later.

The truth is that Wise’s Twitter page didn’t reveal the truth for more than an hour after the first message was posted, which may as well be a week when the incorrect story hits the web during business hours on a Monday.

So who looks like the fool here? Wise for committing the journalistic equivalent of shouting “forest fire” in a crowded theater, or those of us (Miami Herald and Baltimore Sun and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review included) who opted to give his report the attention and the benefit of the doubt that none of Wise’s reports will ever get from PFT again, no matter what he reports?

When discussing the situation on the air, Wise at one point said that he did it to prove that I’m a fraud. So . . . in an effort to expose me as a fraud, he did something fraudulent.

I don’t know how Florio could be the fraud when he credited Wise with the report… technically Wise is the fraud. And as far as him wanting to see if something is said and how stupid people are for printing it… it’s the freaking media, whether it is printed, spoken, or tweeted, it’s out there and whomever screwed it up is the stupid person, not the people that credit the stupid person for making the stupid statement.

brasho says:Aug 30, 2010 3:12 PM

And why would Wise waste is “hoax” on something as menial and plausible (at the same time) report about Roethlisberger? Why not state that Roethlisberger was being traded for Mark Sanchez, that is a REALLY BIG DEAL and would be more hoax worthy… not picking the middle number of a 4-6 game suspension.

thehoodedone says:Aug 30, 2010 3:12 PM

Bam, bitch! Mike Wise just owned you. Whoever Mike Wise is.

ZombieRevolution says:Aug 30, 2010 3:13 PM

“…Wise at one point said that he did it to prove that I’m a fraud.”
Wise is not very wise or he would not have bothered in the first place.

brasho says:Aug 30, 2010 3:14 PM

One last thing, Florio is a fool, and a jack-ass, and Rosenthal writes like he failed the 2nd grade (three times), but they are OUR fools, jack-asses, and illiterate failures…avid PFT readers have every right to call these guys names, but not this moronic hack from the Post.

danf535 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:14 PM

His radio show sucks too.

queenie says:Aug 30, 2010 3:15 PM

Mike, you’ve been played like a fiddle and played well I might add!

Rex Grossman says:Aug 30, 2010 3:15 PM

too long. didn’t read.
this isn’t football news. this is old bloggers explaining to their moms who did what.

Cubano says:Aug 30, 2010 3:16 PM

Easy there big guy…… No need to get your panties in a bunch.

petro says:Aug 30, 2010 3:16 PM

All you…”meedia” types can’t be trsuted. Think for yourself America and ask yourself thiss… If someeone says something, think what their motivation could be in it.

PittsburghSteelerz says:Aug 30, 2010 3:17 PM

Wise is a knucklehead… journalism in America, 2010.
After the ’08 election, this should not have been a suprise.

jamaltimore says:Aug 30, 2010 3:17 PM

Mike Wise is an idiot who think’s he’s someone of importance because he has a radio show. His accuracy in reporting mirror is accuracy in the ratings. 0.00

Is it me or are the only people who care about the opinions of journalists other journalists? I don’t care if a report is accurate or inaccurate as long as the truth eventually comes out. It’s not like I base my life on whether or not Revis is signing a contract or how many games Rapie McGee is going to be suspended.

Hail 2 Dan Snyder says:Aug 30, 2010 3:19 PM

You look like the fool Florio.
You publish stories you hear via word of mouth or the always credible twitter without doing any investigative work yourself, slip in a lame Seinfeld refrence or Mike Vick slam and click ‘post’.
“Mike, who’s the real fraud here?”
You must be looking in the mirror when you say that.

DARTH 0BAMA says:Aug 30, 2010 3:20 PM

Florio,
For once i agree with you…its his job to report true facts and he did the exact opposite…not cool. Not your fault…

Sociofan says:Aug 30, 2010 3:20 PM

Mike Wise is an odd duck. Sometimes I read his column and he has done good work. Sometimes I read it and think the threw some crap together while…taking a crap.
I have no idea why he would have thought this would be a useful prank. It does take a chunk out of his journalistic integrity.

Milhouse says:Aug 30, 2010 3:21 PM

One last thing, Florio is a fool, and a jack-ass, and Rosenthal writes like he failed the 2nd grade (three times), but they are OUR fools, jack-asses, and illiterate failures…avid PFT readers have every right to call these guys names, but not this moronic hack from the Post.
5/5

dbartdog says:Aug 30, 2010 3:22 PM

Agree with Florio 100%…this was a stupid trick on Wise’s part and it backfired..

heyguru says:Aug 30, 2010 3:22 PM

Wise…go back to creating those yummy orange Cheez Doodles and quit talking about sports. If it feels like there’s something in your throat, it’s probably your foot or an un-named appendage from Florio….

AzHawk says:Aug 30, 2010 3:22 PM

Any respect for Mr. Wise is GONE.
Any time you put something up that comes from Wise should now include a disclaimer stating the truthfulness of the statment is up for interpretation.

Meldog says:Aug 30, 2010 3:23 PM

i think he was hoping you would report it without citing the source. Since you did, I agree, he is the one who loses the credibility.

FinFan68 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:24 PM

That guy is a loser. He has no credibility and the company that he works for should terminate his employment. It’s one thing to be wrong; it’s quite another to blatantly lie to those you provide a “service” to.

raiderUfan says:Aug 30, 2010 3:26 PM

That is by far one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. What exactly is he trying to prove besides that he’s an attention whore? We know everything gets printed. That’s life today. Way to bring attention to yourself in the stupidest way ever imaginable.

sagnam says:Aug 30, 2010 3:26 PM

You parrot information without checking it’s validity and build your readership on the hard work of others doing the checking. You then editorialize their work adding your spin, making their work your own.
He exposed you as hack that you are, which you then editorialized. Excellent work.
You need to accept your place as the TMZ of football. Change your name to Perez Florio.

Kye says:Aug 30, 2010 3:27 PM

eh, Wise is a tool. Consider the source, Florio.

Abe Froeman says:Aug 30, 2010 3:27 PM

I’m not sure someone shouting “forest fire” in the middle of a crowded theater is going is going to get a response from me.
…unless A: this is a magical theater is in the middle of a forest, or B: I tell the guy to sit down and shut up.

hurls187 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:27 PM

oh…my…god. what a complete loser this Wise-guy is! (you guys like that one???) Actually, P-O-S. Seriously, he should lose his paper and radio jobs for this. What he has admitted is worse than Cowlishaws ill-advised report, by far.

ejb says:Aug 30, 2010 3:27 PM

like the arrest counter, you should have a little side bar shaming these clowns.

In & Out Burger says:Aug 30, 2010 3:27 PM

“Even then, it’s roughly as effective as the rhythm method.”
A little risque for you Florio, but I lol’d.
Florio, you live with stealing others stories you die by it. It was stupid of the other Mike to make up a story, and he should be punished in some way or another. But you depend on “old media” for your information. You can trash this particular person, but you have to remember, without other people doing the real work, this site would never be. I don’t think your 3 person staff could handle 32 teams of worth of information. Even now you can’t handle it? Some how you make grammatical errors in your copying and pasting from beat writers to your own site. I just thought I would try to keep that in perspective for you before you launch a series of “old media” attack articles.

Nosredna says:Aug 30, 2010 3:27 PM

While what this guy did was wrong, he did prove the point. There are those (especially at PFT) that will print anything, without bothering to verify it is true or not. Just because one person makes the statement, whether you give that person credit or not doesn’t make it right, and absolutely makes you wrong by spreading potential rumors!
Maybe Lord Florio and his minions will learn something from this…..but I doubt it.

ClayMath52 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:28 PM

Mike Wise just did what we all sometimes wish we could have done. That was pretty funny…

JuicyMelon says:Aug 30, 2010 3:28 PM

I find that funny. Funny in a couple of ways. First off, I don’t think he was trying to prove anything. I think he was wrong, found out he was wrong, and made up a story to not look like an idiot. Not many people have Mike Wise’s twitter page ready for instant updates. So why would he then try to claim it was a hoax minutes/1 hour later? He did it to try to get the acknowledgment on PFT and ESPN. What sports journalist wouldn’t?
Second, to try to act like a punk and claim “You got everyone” is simply pathetic. Even if you were planning this all along (highly doubt it), you just lost all credibility. Maybe this would’ve been acceptable on April 1st, but not August 30th. Of course people will print anything, why not? Football is a hobby of mine as well as a lot of other peoples. Not that I followed him anyways, but I applaud PFT for not following this d-bag anymore.

Simon12345 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:28 PM

Boom. Roasted. Mike Wise, check yer durn sources so we don’t have to check ours!
Isn’t journalism about having corroborating sources…why is trashing Wise a substitute for PFT having multiple corroborating sources before posting a story?

My Coke Can says:Aug 30, 2010 3:29 PM

OMG, I commented on Mike Wise on this site one time before, I am glad I get to do it again. His radio show is terrible. His only wish in life is to be accepted by african americans, I never heard this guy so happy before as to when a guy called and said wise could have a “brotha” card. (What ever that means) The guy is constantly talking about items that should never be discussed on a sports talk radio station. He actually asked Buster Douglas how much money he had left! How ignorant could you possibly be? Nobody wants to hear your one sided political view. I wish they would fire you! Stop trying to cover up the terrible lisp you have, it doesnt work.

Hail 2 Dan Snyder says:Aug 30, 2010 3:30 PM

“And that’s the fundamental difference here. Everyone in this business is wrong at some point. The greater the volume of content (and we have 50 or more posts per day), the greater the chance for errors. Still, everyone in this business aspires in every instance to be right.”
—-With that being said why is Tim Cowlishaw still on your ‘Rub-it-in-his-face’ list for being wrong? Get ova’h it, he’s on ESPN.
And to keep the pressure off of this site Florio writes a novel of a blog about how he was hood-winked yet it’s not his fault.
Miami Herald and Baltimore Sun and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review —-we don’t read those, we read this site so what was the point of throwing them in the fire with you? Man up, Florio. You constently preach about who should get suspensions fines, Mike Vick and other’s short comings but when you’re wearing the scarlett letter blame is placed else where.

I don’t know how to feel about this. On one hand, Wise obviously lied, so I hate him. On the other hand, he made Florio cry, so I kinda like him.

agenice says:Aug 30, 2010 3:33 PM

Wise is a Tool… with a capital “T”..
If he wanted to prove people will print anything, he should have had someone else say it and see if it was repeated across the internet.
All he did was reduce his credibility and prove that, yes, he is a Tool.

cbrianwatkins says:Aug 30, 2010 3:34 PM

just want to point out that while reading your lame and long attempt to defend yourself, rosenthal, and MDS about not actually verifying or researching the gossip you print, i found about 10 grammatical errors
to be honest, thats really embarassing, you’re a grown man, sort of a journalist, and you’re running a money producing website (i have a rough idea what this place generates in revenue, if those numbers you posted are truthful), to have simple errors like this is pitiful
almost as pitiful as what this site has become
PFT used to be the one to break stories, now all you do is rehash previously broken stories, its worse than hollywood doing remakes of everything

smo05d says:Aug 30, 2010 3:35 PM

funny how all the drama now seems to with the media and not the players.

ADogDC says:Aug 30, 2010 3:36 PM

The listen here learned:
Florio – STOP posting Tweets unless it is from a credible football beat writer or national writer.
Wise is a NBA guy 1st and foremost. And he spews opinions about the Redskins. It all stops there.
You shouldn’t even be following this guy…..

Matt says:Aug 30, 2010 3:37 PM

See what happens when you go reporting/posting stuff from other “journalists” who get their info from these uncited sources?
I like reading your stuff, Florio, but you’ve been ripped on by people previously for posting false information derived from moron sources. I’m shocked Arnold Palmer’s grandkids weren’t somehow brought into this.

rmm9090 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:37 PM

Sounds like Wise-ass tried to punk everyone (Florio and all) but shot himself in the: well you know, ass…

filmdude69 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:38 PM

Writing a full-on article or “report” based on a tweet is completely unprofessional. Not sure why “reporters” resort to this, but I think Wise (whoever this guy is) proved a point that it is completely asinine to write an article which will be proliferated through a major news source (msnbc) with only a 140 character tweet as the basis.
A tweet! Joke is on you…. and all your readers.
Furthermore, as Denis Lemieux once inclined, I would “feel shame” to place the blame elsewhere for my own faulty reporting based on a tweet that was initially a “hoax”. Check your sources. A reporter that does not check their source is just as much a fraud as the hoaxer.
Quality sports reporting has gone to shreds in the past 3 years because of blogging and tweeting. Hearsay and rumors. Truly sad state of affairs. Actually it is a joke.

gruntersdad says:Aug 30, 2010 3:40 PM

Thanks for the entertainment. This like most blogs are just worthless dribble from people who find it difficult to feed their egos. And when they get scammed, it’s always someone elses fault. Do your homework, and stop relying on other people to write your stories, so you can quote them.

raynman49 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:42 PM

Hang in there Florio. You must be doing something right, or your critics would’nt be visiting
your website. This is the best NFL site on the web.

AllThat says:Aug 30, 2010 3:45 PM

Funi & Holeinone09 will ask that he get 6-8 days with no pay.
just sayin

shaunypoo says:Aug 30, 2010 3:45 PM

Wise, that word “fraud,” I don’t think it means what you think it means.

kingaling says:Aug 30, 2010 3:47 PM

Can we get back to real football stories Florio? These pissing contests between you and other “journalists” is getting old!

Hauschild says:Aug 30, 2010 3:50 PM

Wise is DEAD-ON here, folks. People that get paid money to run with stories WILL print just about anything. I think Florio and Co. might need a shock collar around their necks for those times they get “itchy” and fail to do enough research.
There’s a term journalists used to employ called CORROBORATION, before running with a potential “story”. Really, how much extra work is that when you’re posted on your ass all day???
I love it when people with backbones keep other people honest.

Really? says:Aug 30, 2010 3:51 PM

PFT: Aggregation without Confirmation

cmich06 says:Aug 30, 2010 3:51 PM

as I posted in the other entry…Wise is a hack and this proves it

bradleygator says:Aug 30, 2010 3:52 PM

As a journalist, Wise should know that the source of the information determines its newsworthiness. His tweet was newsworthy, because it came from a (previously) trusted source about a subject of interest to readers of this blog. Wise compromised his credibility in an attempt to establish what everyone already knows: blogs print anything and leave it to readers to separate wheat from chaff. He is a fool.

BP says:Aug 30, 2010 3:53 PM

You reported what he reported. No wrong there on your part. Sounds like this guy Wise is a punk.

AllThat says:Aug 30, 2010 3:54 PM

What does this have to do with Football. It’s only BR.

VegasChris says:Aug 30, 2010 3:56 PM

PFT is on the edge and takes chances that other sources won’t. That is why I like it.

Jackson says:Aug 30, 2010 3:56 PM

# Meldog says: August 30, 2010 3:23 PM
i think he was hoping you would report it without citing the source. Since you did, I agree, he is the one who loses the credibility.
——————-
hammer, meet nail.

HarrisonHits says:Aug 30, 2010 3:56 PM

“Wise admitted that he fabricated the report in order to prove that “anybody will print anything.”
Well duh, he obviously hasn’t been paying attention for a long time.
The press are like a pack of rabid wolves over the slightest hint of a story, only far less intelligent than wolves actually are.

Chapnasty. says:Aug 30, 2010 3:57 PM

Great post Florio, you win this one.

MikeWise says:Aug 30, 2010 3:58 PM

For the record, Florio doesn’t profess to be a journalist; Wise apparently does. As some of you may have notices, this website is called “latest news and rumors” and not “verified NFL information”. So it isn’t asserted or implied that Florio speaks the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If he actually did, some of you would have a point. Wise, on the other hand, does profess to be a journalist, and has damaged his journalistic reputation beyond repair by doling out bunk information. You’d have to be pretty stupid to risk your career and livelihood to make a point to some internet hack blogger. Oh, and I’ve been reading without posting for years, just waiting for the perfect username to come along. Thank you Mike Wise, for not living up to your name.

jim says:Aug 30, 2010 3:59 PM

You guys gtting on Flurio should read the original post. He cited the source and even said it did not sound right. He was not trying to take credit for someone elses work. If he had not cited the source and it was wrong, then it would be on him. But he cited. So it was clear he was just passing on another persons post. This is not the newspaper where you do one article a day. With 50 posts a day, you can not research and verify everything. I am glad I can get other peoples posts in one place.

MotorCityKitties says:Aug 30, 2010 3:59 PM

I’m in the DC area. The Mike Wise show is terrible, clearly the worst show on that station. I have no idea why they handed a columnist a radio show. He is desperate for ratings, he will go away sooner then later.

Norse says:Aug 30, 2010 4:02 PM

It’s nice to know you have pride Florio but I felt like I was reading US weekly or something. I get that you don’t want to look like an idiot but aren’t these all supposed to be ‘rumors’ anyway? Let’s try to leave the personal tissy fits out of the NFL rumor mill…

Big Blue says:Aug 30, 2010 4:03 PM

Wise does that sort of crap all day on his show. He brags about knowing Shaq…BFD, and a host of other athletes but doesnt really offer any excellent insight into anything. He tries to be a comedian on the show that is filled with wierd bits and unfunny and unrealted jokes mostly about his favorite subject… himself. He got tired of reading what he has written out lot to himself and then some idiot gave him a talk show so he has the forum to go on and on about nothing. I listen from time to time hoping to hear something different but its always the same garbage and I am forced to turn it after only a few minutes.
I am not a huge fan of his partner Holden, however at least he has the stones to avoid saying anyting stupid. He is direct and forthcoming and you have to have some respect for the guy.
I think if “The Fan” had an self respect as a news and broadcasting organization they would get that Fraud (MW) off the air and find someone who can talk sports and not about themselves and how cool they are because they met Shaq. He name drops ALL the time! If you reading this and want to hear something good, listen to the Junks in the morning and Lavar and Dukes in afternoon, and I am not even a skinz fan. DO IT!! F Wise!!!

Raider3:16 says:Aug 30, 2010 4:04 PM

What are you so mad about Florio? The fact he lied or the fact you proved him right?
Is Bradshaw dead yet?

contract says:Aug 30, 2010 4:04 PM

This is much ado about nothing. Just unfollow the twit and move on.

FinFan68 says:Aug 30, 2010 4:09 PM

Bloggers are NOT journalists. They simply compile various stories and add their opinion and speculation. Wise is (should be was) a journalist and he did something taboo…offer up information he knew to be false. All Florio & Co. did was what they are expected to do. They stated what was said, cited the source, and added their opinion/speculation. Wise is the moron, not Florio.

Mike Wise's # 1 fan says:Aug 30, 2010 4:10 PM

Mike Wise is a very respected journalist here in the D.C. area. I listen to his radio show everyday and he is always very accurate with his stories and makes the days go by much faster. If you had listened to the show today he tried to explain why there was some confusion. He attempted to send the second part of his message but was blocked by twitter and by the time he was able to resend it it was too late. After Florio called him a “dick” Mike tried to get Florio on his show to talk about it but was unsuccessful. I believe Florio will be on the show tomorrow (which ought to make some good entertainment). If this drama keeps going on we’ll have to get Lavar Arrington from the stations next show to resolve this.

petro says:Aug 30, 2010 4:10 PM

Sorry but no grown man should be…”Tweeting”. Don’t care that guys in the NFL do it, they’re wrong. Just can’t take anything serious that comes from a, “Tweet”.

epping16 says:Aug 30, 2010 4:12 PM

PFT isa blog site. He gives us links to actual reports, that’s what this site is for. Wise must not get the whole idea of a website like this. What a tool, anyway, now I suspect I will never hear his name again!

CutFavre.com says:Aug 30, 2010 4:13 PM

Oh, and here’s a case proving the point of how disconnected Wise is. His radio show runs from 10ish-2…last Friday he was on the air during the Strasburg press conference / conference call. They tried to get the call on the air and failed, so we sat there while they babbled about how Strasburg was probably OK and they were probably just going to announce they were shutting him down for the rest of the 2010 season for precautionary reasons…while another dude on the show kept an ear open and relayed what was being said on the call…eventually revealing that Strasburg did in fact probably need Tommy John surgery.
By the time the radio delay caught up, I already had texts from three friends (who had found the call-in # and passcode for the conference call…fairly readily available) providing the news.
There’s really no use for reporters any more unless they actually have connections we as random citizens don’t. Aside from the NBA, a league that DC cares about with approximately the same zeal with which it embraces roller derby, Wise is fairly useless in this regard.

if yer not first... says:Aug 30, 2010 4:14 PM

Jesus Florio – Wise is a regular on Olbermann!
use your head man – he’s pathological.

steeelfann says:Aug 30, 2010 4:17 PM

Florio, don’t you see the beauty here?
What a beautiful play. Say someone in the Steelers camp or a fan that writes, or a friend of Big Ben’s plants the story that it will definitely be 5 games, not 4, before the decision is rendered by Goodell?
Based on that, Goodell almost surely will not make it 5. He would have to go for 4 games, just for posterity. Otherwise, it looks like a leak, or it looks like his too predictable, or it looks like Goodell is in on something.
Smooth………………….I smell a conspiracy, better start the spin cycle.

Katmanduu says:Aug 30, 2010 4:23 PM

Wise is tired of Pittsburgh teams jacking Washington teams whenever they play. I can’t remember the last time the Deadskins beat the Steelers. Whenever it was, it was a loooooong time ago.
Pens and Caps? Not even close.

rickvaldez says:Aug 30, 2010 4:25 PM

Why jump on Florio for saying something that Wise said? Wise is the one who claims he’s the greatest because when he says something it’s right. Wise is a moron. If they want to keep him on the radio team him up with Dukes, Nobody would listen they would hopefully be fired then

Flimflam1 says:Aug 30, 2010 4:30 PM

Worst show on 106.7 The Fan, by a mile.
This clown should’ve been replaced a long time ago- he’s not cut out for radio (or any other type of media, evidently).
If he’s not replaced by Brian Mitchell by Thursday we have a problem.

Postman says:Aug 30, 2010 4:30 PM

You don’t belong in the same sentence as Adam Schefter.

metaldeth says:Aug 30, 2010 4:33 PM

It’s just the way to teach pig jen. No means yes, 6 games mean 4 games. Makes sense.
But in the end, the steelers still suck

madmike says:Aug 30, 2010 4:34 PM

I’ll usually be the first to bash you for re-posting tasteless accusations and other crappy rumors, but you’re dead on this time. If Mike Wise is a paid journalist at a major newspaper, and he releases a false story on purpose, he should be fired. Period. It doesn’t matter his intention, hoax or not. What is to stop a true fraud from claiming “hoax” next time? Journalists are supposed to strive to tell the truth in their reporting, and when they deliberately lie and misinform by inventing a story, and excuse it by claiming it was to discredit another news organization for re-posting it, the Wash Post should fire him, as should WJFK. That would be like a Nuclear power plant safety officer leaking fuel rod material just to prove that it’s harmful to the environment…a total violation of the purpose of the job he’s paid to perform.

MBJ says:Aug 30, 2010 4:38 PM

Hey, I think Florio and Co. do a great job. We frequent PFT to get the LATEST info with the understanding that to get the latest info, occasionally something is posted that isn’t quite accurate. To be honest I’m kind of surprised that it doesn’t happen more often. Wise is just whining because he never gets a scoop.

Clevelander says:Aug 30, 2010 4:46 PM

So today Florio claims he has journalistic integrity. Just the other day he was saying that he’s not part of the profession. But today he admits that he just sits in front of his computer all day long and reaps the benefit of posting what real reporters work on for their respective employers. You’re a blogger. Get over yourself.

CutFavre.com says:Aug 30, 2010 4:50 PM

Sorry but no grown man should be…”Tweeting”. Don’t care that guys in the NFL do it, they’re wrong. Just can’t take anything serious that comes from a, “Tweet”.
Petro, justify it to yourself this way…obviously, as a technology-fearing cranky old man, you would prefer to receive your news via homing pigeon several days after the fact. Pigeons “tweet.”
Lo and behold, you can be up on current events and keep your sack.

i8adawg says:Aug 30, 2010 4:51 PM

Why is everyone acting like the mikes are so bad and stupid? It’s not like either of them was cruel to dogs or raped college students or read My Pet Goat while there was a terrible tragedy. These people write for entertainment….not news. Sports is purely entertainment. If accuracy is important in any arena, its any other section other than the ones w mike wise or mike florio or mike tyson conrributing

Holeinone09 says:Aug 30, 2010 4:53 PM

I have to agree with Florio. For this Wise(guy) to intentionally make a false report via any medium, even apparently trying to announce it was fake soon after, is just bad journalism. If he isn’t fired pretty soon, it will be a surprise and an insult to real journalists. I don’t know this guy and never heard/read his stuff, but this stunt made no sense whatsoever. “News sites” will pick up “breaking news” from allegedly reputable sources, just like PFT and other news sites did. From now on, how could anyone consider Wise to be reputable? I wouldn’t. He cried wolf.

thirdandgoal says:Aug 30, 2010 4:55 PM

let’s see now… you title your posts as “Bang it here for the latest news & rumors ” and then don’t like it when the “rumor” turns out to be fabricated. doesn’t it go with the territory? i don’t particularly care for what the guy did, but let’s not feign outrage when what passes over the desks @ PFT turns out to be less than credible.
i heard two ex-major league ball players laughing it up the other day about how they used to stir the pot during spring training by simply planting a “did you hear about…” with a reporter or two and then sit back and watch the “rumor” grow legs.
your track record, over all, seems to be fairly good. don’t take it personal when someone slips one by you!

Route36West says:Aug 30, 2010 5:02 PM

It was a joke relax its funny because he did prove how bloggers dont do any of there own work they steal things other people do and make careers out of it.
Hes the Orson Wells of sports.

BuckyBadger says:Aug 30, 2010 5:05 PM

Milhouse says:
August 30, 2010 3:21 PM
One last thing, Florio is a fool, and a jack-ass, and Rosenthal writes like he failed the 2nd grade (three times), but they are OUR fools, jack-asses, and illiterate failures…avid PFT readers have every right to call these guys names, but not this moronic hack from the Post.
—————-
But you come here and read and post anyways?!?! I think that would make you the bigger moron.

superfan99 says:Aug 30, 2010 5:07 PM

Great news Mike Wise! Nobody is ever going to trust your reporting again. You tricked a few media outlets into posting a false report that you made up. Congrats.
In the end, all you really did was fabricate a stupid story. Credibility gone.

Contra says:Aug 30, 2010 5:10 PM

It’s one of the main reasons why we’ll have nearly 40 million page views this month, and perhaps 50 million or more in September.
——
WRONG – Brett Favre is the reason for those hits!

shvd98z24 says:Aug 30, 2010 5:17 PM

To all the ass-clowns who are putting this on Florio……#1) You are reading the site….right? #2) Florio and the PFT gang put in the hoof work for this information and we eat it up….how is that different? #3) The story was posted in the “Rumor Mill” you nut shiners. I don’t click on a link called the “Rumor Mill” and expect everything to be 100%! The simple fact is…we all come here to get the story first….the reason we get it first is because of how PFT has aligned itself with all the media outlets and teams……we get it first bc they are willing to post it without having a newspaper, magazine, or TV station breathing down their neck for proof and sources. That’s why we come here….so stop the damned bitching!

FireJerryJones says:Aug 30, 2010 5:22 PM

Is there no honor in the new medium?

ham1 says:Aug 30, 2010 5:24 PM

This is the “rumor mill” and he started a rumor. BFD. There have been so many rumors come and gone on this site its funny sometimes.
This is very funny just because of the strong reaction to it.
I cannot wait until the season starts. Yawn.

nhat says:Aug 30, 2010 5:48 PM

sagnam says:
August 30, 2010 3:26 PM
You parrot information without checking it’s validity and build your readership on the hard work of others doing the checking. You then editorialize their work adding your spin, making their work your own.
He exposed you as hack that you are, which you then editorialized. Excellent work.
You need to accept your place as the TMZ of football. Change your name to Perez Florio.
———————————————
5/5
to all those who don’t know the whole story, he (mike wise) has been talking about this hoax for a LONG time now. he brought up florio AND schefter when asked who the potential targets could be. he noticed that all these ‘media’ guys would retweet any bit of news they could get without checking sources just so they’d be in the ‘know’.
i laugh at those who claim wise’s credibility is now gone😆 it was a hoax from the beginning and i got a great laugh when i heard wise and holden (his co-host) talk about florio’s post using his tweet as the source. florio proved wise’s point.

Freamon says:Aug 30, 2010 5:48 PM

Well done Florio.

howitzer819 says:Aug 30, 2010 5:48 PM

Why would someone shout “forest fire” in a crowded theater? Wouldn’t it just be “fire”? Is the theater in the forest? What possible implication would a fire in a wooded area have on a movie theater presumably in an urban area?

A Commitment To Excrement says:Aug 30, 2010 5:49 PM

“Hi Pot, my name is Kettle”
“Wow Kettle, you sure are black”

nhat says:Aug 30, 2010 5:50 PM

oh and wise isn’t in this business to get scoops or drop the latest news…it’s his job to report on it.

ladybucs&steelersnut says:Aug 30, 2010 5:54 PM

I think in this case both Mikes were fools and Wise was far from it.

jewige says:Aug 30, 2010 6:08 PM

Florio is the joke here. When I read the headline this morning I knew it was crap. Goodell has told all of um NO ONE about his final decision. How is it good journalism to report what another journalist said? Get your own source don’t scoure the internet. And to top it off Florio really showed his stuff by now trying to pass this off on Wise….total crap.

SwedishMurderMachine says:Aug 30, 2010 6:19 PM

@ every poster ripping on Florio : If the RUMOR mill does not meet your high journalistic expectations then why are you here you f*cking c*cktaster.

IndyColt45 says:Aug 30, 2010 6:23 PM

Haters Gon Hate

StevieMo says:Aug 30, 2010 6:39 PM

Mike Wise = Horse’s Ass.

realitypolice says:Aug 30, 2010 6:40 PM

I love how you justify your single sourcing this story off of a tweet by listing another another single source story from a tweet that also turned out not to be true.
Life is much more fun when you don’t learn from your mistakes. Why worry about screwing up in new and different ways when you can just keep making the same mistake over and over again!

hotbite says:Aug 30, 2010 6:47 PM

Florio, how about verifying the ‘facts’ that you get (like checking with the Steelers, the NFL, etc.) BEFORE you do exactly what Wise thought you would….run to print with a joke! So let me ask you, Florio, who is the real journalist here?

I had to get all the way down to the 100th post to find someone else w/the same problem I have:
howitzer819 says:
August 30, 2010 5:48 PM
Why would someone shout “forest fire” in a crowded theater? Wouldn’t it just be “fire”? Is the theater in the forest? What possible implication would a fire in a wooded area have on a movie theater presumably in an urban area?
_________________________________
Now, howitzer better not tell me his post was a joke just to get me to re-post it and add some pithy comments about how I agree with him…or else, I’m going to get upset and “pen” another post calling for his arse!
_________________________________
Don’t know Wise, but my guess is that he and other career reporters are a little upset that someone could make any money simply reposting their articles. They do the work, someone collects their work, puts it on a website (for which I’m greatful), and then gets paid.
I get both sides of this coin. It is the new era of reporting. Cornflorio – you must take the good with the bad. The awards and compliments with the jokes at your expense.
Adjust your squirrel hat and get back to work, it don’t mean a thing. Oh, and when are you going to “interview” Channing Crowder, Terry Bradshaw, and Steve Smith?!?

Buck Stallion says:Aug 30, 2010 7:01 PM

Mike Wise is a complete moron. His radio show is horrible!
He just showed everyone what an idiot he is.

kiss-my-ass-florio-haters says:Aug 30, 2010 7:01 PM

Some people might consider Mike Wise to be a booger-eating-moron, but technically he is an imbecile who aspires to be a dullard.

ISP659 says:Aug 30, 2010 7:04 PM

The hypocrisy in these comments is amazing. Listen, I don’t agree with Florio all the time, BUT… those stating that Wise made a fool of Florio are… we’ll use the term “special”. Now, Florio’s self deprecations get old, he copy and pastes relentlessly, and the grammar ain’t so hot (pun intended). 99.9% of us here are lazy American males; yes, and we all like one stop shopping. Florio was the smart one to provide an opportunity for us to bask in our own laziness and has now set himself in a position to provide for his family by doing so. To call our Florio for providing news and RUMORS, which we all crave and freely choose to seek at PFT, is flat stupid. I could think of several more adjectives that would convey a more correct description of those calling him out but again I’ll refer to “special” instead. You all seek the news and rumors provided here freely, and you’d really blame Florio for Wise’s decision to knowingly print a lie. In regards to Wise’s radio response, “What you just said, is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.” Billy Madison, Peace Out!!!

Patrick says:Aug 30, 2010 7:22 PM

… think he was relating the “forest fire” to his play on Wise using a magnify glass to start one…paraphrasing the Calumet-Laurium Michigan (home of the Gipper) Italian Hall Disaster…

DirtDawg55 says:Aug 30, 2010 7:46 PM

Ah, listen up folks. This site plainly says “latest news and rumors”. It is not the “site for original research and fact based and fact checked insights into everything pro football”. And yes, it is an aggregation site, you know, like google in a way or digg it. There is much to blame Florio for, but ripping him for pointing to other people’s work when that is the express purpose of this site, and the reason you come here in the first place, is absurd.
Of course, watching Florio get his panties all wet over this is priceless.

ernieadams says:Aug 30, 2010 8:00 PM

How many pissant writers from pissant little newspapers post on this site? It’s an aggregator site. Get a grip.

Hailskinzz says:Aug 30, 2010 8:18 PM

Why is so many people hatin on Mike Wise? His show does not suck at all his show is actually good. Mike Wise has been in journalism for a long time and he also writes good articles in the Washington Post. This just goes to show that Florio believes anything he sees so yes Florio you suck at life

JuicyMelon says:Aug 30, 2010 8:40 PM

Four tweets later, Wise said he “[c]an’t reveal [his] sources.” Then, more than an hour after posting the initial tweet, Wise said his source was a “casino employee in Lake Tahoe.”
___________________________________
In addition to my above comment, the “Lake Tahoe” reference was very, very bad. Read up on the Roethlisberger case to see where the female was working at the time. Apparently she was working as an executive casino host at that time. Mike Wise is a complete piece of trash. What point was he trying to make there?

BigBear123 says:Aug 30, 2010 8:58 PM

When discussing the situation on the air, Wise at one point said that he did it to prove that I’m a fraud. So . . . in an effort to expose me as a fraud, he did something fraudulent.
—————–
I am not looking up the Dallas Morning News or the Washington Post sports section for breaking news.
Might follow an editorial article unrelated to sports but that’s it.
I prefer PFT because you bundle everything into a nice little package on one site.
ESPN used to be alright, seemed to jump on the blog bandwagon a bit late. Even then I have to wait two minutes for all of the pop up ads to clear before I can read anything there.
Guess you made it when other writers try to make you look bad. Whatever, you made it awhile ago, those douchebags are just jealous.

HereThere says:Aug 30, 2010 9:01 PM

I hate defending Florio, but all he did was post that this bonehead was saying Ben would be suspended for five games. Wise sounds like a petty douchebag.

pappyschmiel says:Aug 30, 2010 10:17 PM

I have never heard of Mike Wise, but he is a steaming pile of manure, and I doubt he will be able to continue in this career very long with the idiotic mental processing that he displayed here.
Sorry that you are taking heat for this, Mr. Florio. I have never understood the haters on a free web site full of interesting RUMOR material, some of which is right and some of which is wrong.

urabozoo says:Aug 30, 2010 10:43 PM

Listen, I give Florio crap here and there in good fun, but it kills me when people rip him as a hack and for stealing other people’s stuff. I mean if you really hate him or this site so much, why did you keep reading it and then bitch about it? I used to read Bill Simmons on ESPN until I got sick of his shitck, then I simply stopped reading. As Alec Balwin says in Glengarry Glen Ross “If you dont like it, leave.”

Art Van Delay's brother says:Aug 31, 2010 12:18 AM

Mike Wise was basically run out of town by the Ravens players and the organization. He was hated by most of Baltimore and always played the race card on defending himself from his many critics.
Want to know if you’ve died and went to hell? If the Mike Wise show is playing on the radio…you’re there. Squiggy from Laverne and Shirley has better linguistic skills.
I’m guessing one of the Skins players will kick his butt by week 6 or 7.

longthoughts says:Aug 31, 2010 12:21 AM

Florio, I love to talk trash on you and your journalistic “integrity”–even though I visit your site several times a day, thanks–but this guy made himself look like an idiot. If I were a reporter, I’m not sure I would be in love with a guy who took my hard work and then made more money and got more exposure than I did, but this guy is a bigger tool than you and me put together. You built this thing out of your freaking basement, so f_ck him and me and anyone else for hating just because you have an awesome job and get to flaunt your hairpiece on TV.
I still remember when you killed Terry Bradshaw, though. Don’t get cocky.

Dirka28 says:Aug 31, 2010 2:11 AM

Look everyone for the most part this isn’t a site you come to for sports news…You come here because it’s convenient it takes all the stories from all the sites and papers and presents it in a form that is condensed enough to be easily digested and usually provides links if you want more in depth information. It’s more The Daily Show than it is CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, or whatever station your particular political orientation allows you to choose. It takes the news waters it down with some witty remark and presents it in a way that appeals to our short attention spans. Also because it posts so many articles in a day it’s a great distraction at work. They took a report that was out there, not widely reported but from a credible member of the media and posted it and because it was not their opinion or their report provided a source for the report. Seeing as how Twitter is getting me the picks in the draft before they are made and reporting mostly correct news an hour or more before more legitimate media picks it up is something alot of us love to be in on cause we like to be that guy that always hits all their other friends with breaking news. The fault here lies with the moron who knew he was in a position of reporting that people trusted intentionally put out false information. This isn’t just yelling fire in a theatre, this is a fireman in uniform on stage calmly explaining to the audience that they need to evacuate because there is a fire. The people have a good reason to believe the source.

CO55 says:Aug 31, 2010 6:47 AM

“So who looks like the fool here?”
Cut to Florio in his bathroom. “Mirror, Mirror………”

jb1996 says:Aug 31, 2010 11:00 AM

haha Wise shows the press but they suspended him so he got shown up

klungemonger says:Aug 31, 2010 11:22 AM

I only read something about Florio & Rosenthal using the “rhythm method” and had to stop there.

texasPHINSfan says:Aug 31, 2010 11:42 AM

I don’t understand Wise’s logic. If he was trying to prove you’re a fraud, how does posting a fraudulent scoop for you to pickup prove that point?
How can you even be a fraud? All you do is combine all the NFL news in one place, every post has a link.
I don’t get it.

Deb says:Aug 31, 2010 12:41 PM

If the Post has any interest in its own credibility, it would fire Mike Wise. He’s Jayson Blair. No difference–except that Blair invented and plagiarized stories at the Times and didn’t deliberately try to drag other reputable news outlets down with him. I’m glad the Herald, Post-Gazette, and others picked up the story because Wise may get his just desserts. Too many ethical journalists are without work right now for this clown to have a job.
People give you hell about being a lousy journalist. You’re not a journalist and I’ve never seen you pretend to be a journalist. You’re a blogger who gathers scoops from supposedly reliable sources. The Washington Post reporters should be reliable sources. If you can’t trust the sports department, you can’t trust the news department. The guy doesn’t take his profession seriously, so let him find a new one.

kpweaver27 says:Aug 31, 2010 1:25 PM

People who peruse this site are uncharacteristically critical of it. You have to understand what you’re reading. PFT is 80% blurbs and reposts, and they are unapologetic about that. It is the design of the site to get out information as quickly as possible, posting 20-40 times a day when its busy. If the powers that be at PFT see a reputable name, they post it with credit due. Why research everything Peter King says? What is the point of journalistic credibility if not for reliable news?
Wise lost his in a stupid way, and if you buy his excuse you lack credibility too. If he were simply trying to prove “people will print anything” he would have done something a bit more outlandish than a modest suspension reduction.

leeanthony says:Aug 31, 2010 11:36 PM

Ha ha ha, leave it to Florio for getting upset over a “tweet.” You got punked. I’m sure a 30 day vacation from the Post is really devastating to Wise. I certainly won’t be missing his radio show tomorrow…

leeanthony says:Aug 31, 2010 11:37 PM

Maybe he didn’t prove that “anyone will print anything…” but he did prove that Florio will print anything…

Jersey Jouster II says:Sep 1, 2010 4:16 PM

I hope Wise gets fired from his radio show. He is horrible. He stumbles, bumbles and stutters every sentence. He cuts off his guests and the worst part is that he thinks he’s funny.
What a tool. Bring back Bill Rollin to mid days and can this fool.